Thursday, December 29, 2005

While Michigan fans can be expected to be upset that about half the state of Nebraska ran onto the field during the last play, as someone commented before, Michigan's victory shouldn't have hinged on having to run the "Stanford Band Play" to perfection.

Question though: Who made the tackle for Nebraska and was he on the field when the play began...or did he run out from the grassy knoll? Just trying to stir up some controversy.

11 comments:

Someone want to take Tyler Ecker aside & shake the bejesus out of him?!! Not only was he the chowderhead who didn't attempt to get out of bounds at the end of the Ohio State game, but he's the one who single-handedly ruined what would've been a historical game-winning play for the Wolverines at the end of last night's Alamo Bowl. This moron is a senior football player at the University of Michigan... how long do you have to play football to know that if you're behind, you get tackled and time runs out, the game's over? Why would you not do everything in your power to keep that last play alive?! Didn't Ecker see what his teammates had previously done EIGHT times in the same play? What good does getting tackled out of bounds do?!! Priority #1 should've been to get the ball to Steve Breaston (who was right behind him with no Huskers around, by the way). How does this jackass keep ending up with the ball at the end of huge games?

No doubt the two 'Huskers over there were on the field at the beginning of the play because the rest of the team was celebrating back around Michigan's 40 where they thought the play ended. The bigger question is why Leon Hall - who was on the field, about 5 yards away from Ecker as he ran past him at the 20 - didn't try to block one of the Nebraska defenders. You think those incompetent refs would have figured that one out?

Michigan fans have to expect the Stanford Band Play pretty much every game from now on. As a matter of fact, the team should make it a priority in practice. After all, it's the only way we can be sure to win a close game. EVERY close game Michigan won this year (a total of 3), the offense scored on the final play. Coicidence? Hardly. When we had the lead with any time left, we let up late scores FIVE times, and that's not including Nebraska. Two of those times we still won thanks the offense scoring with no time left, thus not allowing the defense blow it. Michigan fans can complain until they're maize and blue in the face about Manningham's 3rd down drop, or the no call on the interference on 4th down, but is there any doubt the defense would have somehow allowed Nebraska to march right down and win at the end?So from now on when Karl Grapentine says "Baaaaaaaaaand, take the field!" he should be doing it in practice, so that the offense can practice our most effective 4th quarter play.

There was no fumble on the last play as the lineman did not have control of the ball when he dropped it (if he did he would have been down since he was flat on his ass) so, technically, Hart picked up the lateral (which you can advance), not a fumble

Since when can you not advance a fumble in college football? Well about 1980 or so. Fumbles can be advanced as long as it isn't fourth down or it's a muffed punt.The refs - amazingly - had it right that the ball was still live. Of course, both teams, several cameramen, the Alamo Bowl trophy, Tony Parker and Eva Longorio were all on the field by the end of the play so there should have been some sort of flag thrown for that. But not for illegal forward pass or, my favorite, illegal touching.

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